Responding to lawmaker complaints at an April 21 House Armed Services strategic forces panel hearing that the interim space posture review supplied in March lacks a future vision, Gary Payton, USAF’s top space acquisition official, offered that the final report would have “much, much more substance to it than what we have seen so far.” According to Rep. James Langevin (D-R.I.), panel chairman, the Administration provided the interim report last month, saying the final version would follow establishment of a new national space policy later this year. Robert Butler, deputy assistant defense secretary for cyber and space policy, confirmed that a national space policy “will be ready sometime late spring.” Next up, he said, would be the national security space strategy and added that producing both of those first would benefit the Congressionally directed space posture review.
The use of a military counter-drone laser on the southwest border this week—which prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to abruptly close the airspace over El Paso, Texas—will be a “case study” on the complex web of authorities needed to employ such weapons near civilian areas and the consequences of agencies…
